Oh, dear, I think the problems in your community are way beyond what either of us could provide as remedies, namely, science, rationality, logic, common sense. If you want tro try, Lamaze's Journal of Perinatal Education published a special issue, "Evidence Basis for the Ten Steps of Mother-Friendly Care," for Winter 2007. It can be downloaded for free from the CIMS website at www.motherfriendly.org or purchased for a nominal fee in hard copy. It doesn't address any of the points you raise specifically, but it offers a systematic review of the research supporting Mother-Friendly (or normal birth, if you prefer the Lamaze designation) care practices.

As for the specific points you raise, instead of looking for the evidence yourself, the woman should ask her ob to provide her with the evidence supporting the theory that red hair = hemorrhage. I think this is a variant of obstetric tales that redheads are more likely to need episiotomies and to have sore nipples when breastfeeding. The reason you can't find evidence on it is because there isn't any. It is believed that short women--and the height I have heard used is 5'0", not 5'3"-- are more likely to need a cesarean, but that, of course, will become a self-fulfilling prophecy if the woman's care providers believe it. Cases in point: research shows that women are much more likely to have c/secs if the ob believes, based on ultrasound estimates, that the baby weighs more than 4000 g (8 lb 13 oz) than if the baby actually weighs that much, but the ob didn't suspect it. Likewise, women whose prior c/sec was for lack of progress are given less time in the VBAC labors than women with other indications for the prior c/sec. Finally, I have no idea in what sense this woman's uterus was "hot" nor why that indicated cesarean surgery. All that comes to mind is--and it applies to the whole list you gave--"You can always find a reason to do something you want to do."

-- Henci